The Shadow Assassin
by SOADjoe19
Summary: After a string of weird behavoir, Hunter disappears from the Dragon Temple and an ancient Dragon Relic has gone with him. Now, Spyro, Cynder and the others must help Hunter from making the worst mistake of all.....unleashing an evil too great to control.
1. Chapter 1

For a week's time, the Dragon Temple and surrounding areas were plagued with constant rainfall and occasional lightning strikes. Unfortunately, these few days were the period which Ignitus, the Master of Fire, has promised his protégé, Spyro, to teach him an advanced fighting technique of Fire called Inferno. However, Ignitus refused to unleash such a power indoors because of the ferocity and danger of the element; especially in the control of a mere beginner. This "advanced element", as Ignitus referred to it as, would finally complete the young dragon's mastery of fire. Past dragons who have mastered Inferno were able to not only to be in complete control of any fire present, but also become one with the fire – transforming the body into a blazing inferno. As only elders were able to learn this technique, Ignitus decided to allow the young dragon to take a chance. In his heart, no matter what Spyro felt, Ignitus knew his protégé would be the youngest dragon to ever master the attack.

Spyro dreamed about himself with the Inferno element at his beck and call for days. As much as he wanted to master it now, he had to follow Ignitus' orders and wait. As the huge rain drops relentlessly pounded the ground and foliage outside, he and his closest friends, Cynder and Sparx, looked boringly out of the window of Spyros' room and into the darkness of the night; the moon their light source.

After a few disheartened sighs, Spyro pushed himself away from the window-ledge, paced to the other side of the room, and sat down "I can't believe it! It's been raining for days! Is this storm ever going to end...?"

"Hey, you don't see me complaining, pal." Sparx wittily responded hovering over the window sill, "Staying inside this castle for so long and doing absolutely nothing... What else can you ask for? I love it!"

"Cheer up, Spyro," Cynder answered reassuringly while looking at him, "This storm has been around for a long time, but it'll pass sooner or later. Then you can meet up with Ignitus." She looked back out the window, "You'll get your chance," she said while continuing to look out into the night. Spyro looked back up to Cynder and threw a smile back. "Yeah, I guess so..." He responded. "I have been waiting for this moment for days already...it's been the _only _thing on my mind!" Spyro then paused to walk over to the foot of his bed and sat down. "And it's amazing how this much planning could be ruined by only a few days of stupid rain!" He then heavily blew out two black rings of smoke from his nostrils in frustration.

Sparx turned back from the window to look at Spyro. Noticing his apparent impatience, he tried to calm him down. Flying over to Spyro, he said, "Whoa, chill out, big boy. You'll have plenty of time to master this "amazing element" Ignitus have been talking about..." waving his arms sarcastically at the words "amazing element". In retaliation, Spyro raised his eyebrow at Sparx and blew air at him in a playful gust to blow him away from him.

Just then, a knock was heard coming from the other side of the door. "Is everyone alright in there? May I come in?" a voice said from the hallway. Her concentration of looking outside broke, Cynder looked at the door. "Yes, Ignitus, you can come in." Spyro replied as he hooked his horns around the door handle to open the door. "Hello, Ignitus. How's everything?" Cynder asked. Ignitus greeted them all as he walked into the room and sat down, noticing the down-trodden spirits of the young dragons and dragonfly along with the unbearable rain from the bedroom window.

"My word," Ignitus started, "This rainstorm has been a long one, hasn't it? All this rain is hindering your mastering of the fire element...I can just imagine what you're thinking, Spyro." He said encouragingly. Spyro looked up at Ignitus, visibly annoyed, but still showed his respect, "I hope so, Ignitus. I don't think I can wait any longer!" Cynder then walked up to Spyro and Ignitus rolling her eyes at Spyro. "You can say that again! It's been the only thing he has been talking about for the entire time! I thought I was going to go crazy!"

Ignitus gave a light chuckle to her sarcasm. "I have an idea," he started, "You've all have been in this room for most of the day, don't you think it's about time to stretch your legs?" He looked at Sparx, who raised an eyebrow at the dragon, and answered back, "What do you expect us to do? Play tag outside or something? I'm perfectly happy in here where I'm _warm_ and _cozy_. Not out there where I'll be _miserable _and _cold_." Looking at Sparx, Ignitus continued what he was going to say, "Along my way here, I noticed Hunter practicing his archery on the patio outside of the temple. You should go pay him a visit." Ignitus then paused again; a look of concern covered his face, "Something has been preoccupying him for some time now; he doesn't seem like his regular self."

"I don't know know, he seemed fine to me..." Sparx stated, completely dismissing what Ignitus said, "But whatever, let's go see what the fur-ball is doing." He then flew off past Ignitus, and into the hallway, waiting for Spyro and Cynder to follow.

"Thanks, Ignitus. We'll go see if anything is wrong." Spyro responded as he and Cynder walked past Ignitus and out the door. Spyro then stopped and looked back at Ignitus, "But after the rainstorm passes, you will be able to teach me the elemental Inferno, right?"

"Absolutely, Spyro." Ignitus replied, "As soon as this storm subsides, my time will belong to you." Comforted by his promise, Spyro nodded his head at him and turned around to walk with Cynder down the hallway towards the patio. "I'll see you all tomorrow. Hopefully the weather won't be so gloomy." Ignitus said as he closed their door for them and walked in the opposite direction of the corridor back to his own room.

While walking down the corridor themselves, the two dragons started talking. "You know what?" Cynder asked, "Now that Ignitus mentioned it, Hunter has been acting strangely lately. It was just yesterday I saw him in the main hall. I walked past and greeted him hello...but he barely even looked at me. It was as if his mind was somewhere else." Agreeing, Spyro responded, "You call that weird? I haven't seen him for the past two days! Something has to be wrong. He sounds so secluded."

After a little while, the two dragons finally caught up with Sparx, who was waiting at the door that led to the covered patio outside. "Man, you two are slow!" Cynder then moved forward to open the door. She went outside, followed by Sparx and Spyro.

Outside, the water was still falling in an endless sheet of rain. The ground was fully saturated and a few puddles were forming on the patio closest to the edge of its roof. Through the darkness, the light of the moon silhouetted the trees as it was partially covered by dark, grey clouds. The patio had lighting of its own, though a bit dim, in the form of small candle lamps protruding from its eight support pillar along the sides of the patio. The three spotted Hunter standing at the far side of the patio tediously aiming at the bulls-eye hanging from a string by a nail sticking out from a support pillar opposite from him. Unknowing of the visitors, he released the loaded arrow from his bow and sent it flying with a deadly silence. The arrow hit the outer edge of the target; a seldom hit for him, which accompanied five other arrows stuck into the board, none of which hit the center circle. As the oldest out of Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx, he was in a way looked upon as a role model by the Guardians and his friends. Giving up, Hunter dropped his arms, sighed, and scratched his head in disappointment. The three saw their opportunity and made their way outside.

"Hey, Hunter." Cynder said, "What are you doing out here all by yourself so late?" Not even noticing them until the last minute, Hunter replied. "Oh, hello everybody. I didn't even see you all there. Man, I am so out of it today!" Hunter replied hopelessly. "Can you believe out of thirty shots, I only hit two bulls-eyes? I have no idea what's wrong with me..."

"Seems like you just need some rest, dude." Sparx suggested. "How long have you been out here, two...three hours? Call a time out once in a while." Hunter looked at Sparx. He didn't like his sarcasm, but he knew he was right. "What's wrong, Hunter? Is there anything on your mind?" Spyro asked thoughtfully. Hunter looked at him uneasily; he was known to keep his emotions to himself, and it was like pulling teeth to get him to do so. "What's bugging you, Hunter? You can tell us..." Spyro asked.

Finally, Hunter gave into the group and expressed what he felt. Leaning against the balcony railing, he started. "Have...have you ever felt something that made you uneasy, but didn't understand what it was?" he started, "Like something that you know is there, but you can't actually see?" The three thought about his explanation for a while, but couldn't find a medium, "What are you talking about?" Cynder finally asked. Hunter took a deep breath and further really explained himself. "Well, lately I have been feeling that exact same thing. It's like a premonition of sorts; I know _something _bad is going to happen, but don't actually know what or where. It's as if something or someone is following me."

"Perhaps you're just tired, Hunter." Spyro suggested. "It's late at night, and it looks like you can use a good night's sleep. Come on inside and rest." Spyro walked over to Hunter, put a wing over his shoulder, and led him to the door, "You'll feel better in the morning." Hunter looked down at the ground and then back at Spyro. "Maybe you're right. Okay, let's go." With that, Hunter grabbed his bow and quiver of arrows off the ground and headed for the door. The three of them walked back inside as Hunter stopped at the foot of the door. He searched his eyes across the woods surrounding the patio and into the sky, expecting to see something where he knew he wouldn't. "I wish I knew what was going on. I wish it would just...leave me alone..." He then shut the door and walked to his bedroom for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

It was late at night, and Spyro was curled up in his bed, soundly asleep

Long after the moon rose to greet the night sky, the residents of the Dragon Temple were fast asleep. The sounds of the nightlife that were heard from the outside gave somewhat of a symphonic melody that seemed to invite any creature into a deep slumber. The Dragon Guardians; Ignitus, Terrador, Cyril, and Volteer, were sleeping in their respective rooms, as were Spyro and Sparx, who shared one, and Cynder, who slept in her own bedroom. Each creature slept peacefully, awaiting the next day to come, except for one individual whose mind was too preoccupied for sleep. It seemed as if Hunter's apparitions ceased to haunt his mind, but only for a short while. Still plagued by his indescribable feelings, Hunter found it very difficult to gain the rest he so very much needed. Occasionally tossing back and forth, trying desperately to kick the meaningless thoughts out of his mind, the cheetah ultimately laid in his bed staring blankly at the ceiling above.

The reason for his uneasiness can be described as a gift and a curse. Hunter, along with the rest of his species, always had an uncanny ability to sense when danger is present. The bloodline trait could be traced back thousands of years into his ancestry; dating back to the age of when the earliest dragons ruled the land. With this remarkable ability, he's avoided danger many times throughout his lifetime. But this time was different – he sensed something else, a feeling he was rarely exposed to; not of danger, but of fear. An uneasy Hunter stared blankly at the ceiling, wondering what was possibly troubling him, until finally Hunter's body gave in from the exhaustion, settled down, and fell to sleep. As he started to relax his restless mind, a deep, menacing voice spoke out to him. Seeming to travel from all directions, the voice made the hair on the back of his neck stand straight.

"Awake, Hunter." the bone chilling voice whispered. Almost simultaneously, Hunter opened his eyes and looked around. "Huh? Spyro is that you?" Hunter asked sleepily, looking around his bedroom.

The voice replied coldly, "I have been watching you for a long time, and I have chosen you to become my vessel."

At this time, Hunter was fully conscious and on guard. "How do you know my name, what do you mean? Where are you? Who are you?" Hunter asked hastily. Puzzled, he cautiously made his way out of bed and looked around for anyone or _anything_ that was in the room at the time. He walked around the foot of his bed to examine the room more closely. Suddenly, what felt like a strong blow to the chest, knocked him back onto the bed. The force drove the breath right of Hunter's lungs. After a few gasps, he regained his normal breathing pattern.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Hunter exclaimed as he jumped out of his bed and onto the floor. This time, the same force was felt in his stomach, knocking the air out of him more forcefully than before and was thrown back onto the bed. Upon landing, his limbs were spread to the four corners of the bed by what felt like four cold, hands. He struggled to free himself from its grasps, but to no avail. He felt the "hands" wrapped around his ankles and wrists but could see nothing but his own; the claws digging into his fur like tiny blunt cutting stones. Hunter raised his head in panic to make sense of what was happening, but to his amazement, he was the only person in the room. After calling out once for help, a huge hand grasped his throat; the same stone-like claws along with it. He tried to yell for help from his wide open mouth, but could only release tiny squeaks and gurgles. Again he heard the voice, this time in a more unforgiving tone.

"Listen carefully, for I will only say this once. My name is Hyperion, Lord of Darkness and faithful servant of the Dark Master, Malefor. I have chosen you to collect each of the four sacred relics of the Ancient Dragon Templar. These relics are the key to unlocking the Dark Master from his spell when interlocked with each other. They were separated across the land after the First Dragon Guardians imprisoned Him many, many moons ago. They are spread throughout the land, one of which being in this very Temple." The grasp loosened around his neck for his own sake, then tightened back up at the next sentence, causing the cheetah's breathing to become sporadic, "I never revoke a decision, Hunter. If you refuse to do as I instruct there will be severe consequences."

With all his strength, Hunter choked out, "Why did you choose me??" The voice immediately responded to the question. "Because of your exceptional skills as a stealth and master archer. Quickness, agility, cunning...all the characteristics of a master thief and assassin."

"_Assassin? What is he talking about?"_ Hunter thought. "Okay, please let go..." Hunter choked out desperately, feeling as if his lungs were going to collapse. The force upon his neck and limbs finally released their grip. Hunter sucked in deep breathes immediately and held his neck with a free hand. Coughing to clear his throat, he barked out. "Why should I help you? The Dark Master is in his eternal prison, where he belongs!"

Then, a jolt of electricity shot through Hunter's body, he could feel the static through his fur. The voice then spoke again. "Hunter, this is only a mere taste of what I'm capable of. It is a wise decision to follow my instructions." Hunter, seeing no more options available, finally accepted.

"Good." The evil voice stated. "First collect the Earth Relic of Thraklor within the Temple. Near the fire and earth dragons' rooms, there is a locked door in which the Relic is held. Go to the door and I shall unlock it for you. After you collect the first relic, go to the Enchanted Forest near the Temple grounds. There you will meet me and receive further instructions." Hunter, still rubbing his neck from the pain, sat there listening to the voice – he couldn't believe what was happening. "And remember this; I will be watching your every move. Disobey me and I shall summon a plague over every single being living within these walls!"

Knowing that the situation was dire, and not wanting to put his friends at risk, the archer reluctantly grabbed his green cloak for the weather, along with his bow and quiver of arrows for protection. After rubbing his wrists, which showed evident signs of struggle and tension, he silently exited the room and closed the door. As he slowly made his way down the hall towards Ignitus' and Terrador's room, Hunter thought of what he about to do. Either help Hyperion and steal the relics behind his friends' backs, or refuse to help and risk his friends' lives. A torn Hunter had a tough decision on his hands, but he knew the decision he had to make….


	3. Chapter 3

As Hunter slowly made his way down the hall towards the rooms of Ignitus and Terrador to retrieve the first relic, something unforeseen reached his ears. Despite how late at night it was, Spyro was awake walking the halls walking coming from the opposite direction.

_What is he doing up at this hour? _ Hunter thought to himself. Acting on instinct, he hid behind the corner wall to avoid being seen. _Did Hyperion contact Spyro also? Perhaps I wasn't the only one..._ Still reluctant to find out whether or not Spyro did experienced the same apparition, Hunter decided to silently leave the area and get to the room from another hall. But it was too late; the dragon spotted Hunter at the last minute.

"Hunter? Is that you?" Spyro whispered questioningly as he trotted over to him. Although still sleepy, Spyro noticed his friend's appearance in the dimly-lit hallway. "I was sleeping when I heard what sounded like a jot of electricity. I didn't do it and Volteer is fast asleep…." He paused to let out a quick yawn and continued, "Have you seen anything?" Hunter's response was delayed as he starred at Spyro. He has always hated lying to his friends, but it seemed he had no choice this time. He thought of the first answer that came to mind. "I...I don't know..." he responded uneasily. "Perhaps it was thunder from the storm earlier today."

Spyro let another yawn escape this mouth after thinking about Hunter's answer as a possible cause. "Probably, but it sounded more like it came from inside the Temple, rather than outside. I'm not sure now..." Convinced that he was in the clear, Hunter started walking backwards towards the hall he needed to go down, insisting that he needed to go back to bed himself. The cheetah walked away casually, entering and exiting a stream of light given off from a lamp of the corridor. Spyro stood there thinking of what was going on, and started analyzing the situation.

_There's something wrong here,_ he thought. Immediately he realized what the problem was. First, Hunter said that he had to go back to his own bedroom, but started walking in the opposite the hallway he traveled down doesn't even lead to the same area as his. Second, when he passed by the light of the lamp, Spyro noticed rash bruises of his wrists and ankles, which no one could do to them self. Third, he was walking in the hall fully clothed; bow, quills, cape – everything he usually used for battle. "I better go see what he's up to." he finally decided upon whispering to himself, "This just isn't adding up..."

Wanting to know more of what was happening with his friend, Spyro silently followed Hunter where he was walking. Eventually, after a few minutes of sleuthing, Spyro stopped in accordance with Hunter at the Relic Room door and hid behind a corner wall, watching intently at his every move.

"Okay, here we go," Hunter spoke quietly to himself. "Just take the relic, be quiet about it, and head back to the forest..." Using the long, sharp claw of his thumb, he carefully picked the lock and silently worked himself into the room. Spyro slowly crept forward from his hiding, not wanting to be caught. Inside the room, Hunter saw the Earth 

relic for the first time in the middle of the room on top of its own rock-sculpted stand. The warm glow of a fire lantern gave off waves of yellow light and a warm sense of being to Hunter's cold fur. On the walls of the room, were pictures of a green dragon with a look of great superiority. Underneath one of the pictures on a gold name plate was the name "Thraklor, Master of Elemental Earth" printed in old-style lettering. After looking at the picture, Hunter broke his trance and set his focus back on the mission. The relic was circular with a quarter of it cut out. The ancient looking artifact was a deep faded green with cracks traveling through it every which way. It looked brittle, yet felt extremely durable. Held upright with its own stand embodied with red velvet and gold trimmings, the relic was shielded with a glass lid which looked just as old. Awe-struck, and tremendously nervous, Hunter walked over, lifted up the lid, gently lifted the relic off its holder, and placed the lid back into its proper place. He felt as if he was holding generations of heirlooms in his paws, but the feeling would not last forever. Seeing enough, Spyro entered the room apprehensively, seeking an explanation to what was happening.

"Hunter, what are you doing? You're not supposed to be in here." Spyro stated. Startled, Hunter jumped and turned around so quickly that he almost dropped the fragile relic on the floor; his green cloak, bow and quiver of arrows practically spinning off his body. "Spyro! Wha…what are you doing here? I thought you went back to your room?" Spyro responded quickly to the cheetah's surprise, "I thought you were doing the same thing. What are you doing with the Earth relic? Terrador specifically told us never to go into this room. That's the relic of his ancestors...the one thing he cherishes most in life!"

"I understand, Spyro." Hunter explained, his head hanging to the ground in shame. "But...I must take this; it's for the best interest of both of us and this Temple." With the relic held tightly in his chest to prevent anymore potential breaks, Hunter tried to walk outside the door but was stopped by Spyro, who blocked his exit route. "Hold, up. You're not making any sense!" Spyro answered taken aback. "Why would it be in our 'best interest'? What are you talking about?" Hunter then took a deep sigh. He wanted to tell Spyro everything, but knew Hyperion was listening. His mind searched to say something without giving any information, but could only repeat himself. "It's in the best interest of both of us, Spyro. That's all I can say for right now." he paused for a moment, "I wish I could tell you more...please, let me go."

Still not sure what his friend was talking about, and with the Earth relic as main priority, Spyro gazed hard upward towards his friend. "No, Hunter. I can't let you leave. That relic is as old as this temple, its home is here. You have no right to just take it!"

Hunter realized that time and effectiveness were huge factors to Hyperion in gaining the possession of the Dragon Relics. Desperate to get away, Hunter had no other option….he would hate himself forever for doing this, but felt it was the only way to save his friend's life. He put the relic in his left hand and held it tightly. Next, he lifted his right hand as if to scratch his neck, and unbuttoned the button that held his cloak around his neck. The unsuspecting Spyro had his guard down.

"Spyro, until we meet again, please forgive me." Confused and taken by surprise, Spyro found the cloak thrown over his head, blocking his vision. Backing away and trying to throw the cloak off his head, Hunter delivered a swift, strong roundhouse kick to Spyro's head, knocking him to the ground on contact. In according to Hunter's expression, the kick hurt him more than it hurt the dragon. Hunter stood there momentarily looking at his best friend, laying on his side, unconscious – the cloak tangled around his horns. He then place the relic on the ground, gently untangled the cloak from the horns, attached it back onto his own neck, and picked the relic back up off the ground. There was no visible damage on the dragon's head or face, which Hunter was relived to see, thanks to a dragon's naturally thick skull and scales. "Spyro, please forgive me. When you wake up, I will be gone. I don't know when I'll return, even if I will return. Just remember me and hope for my safety."

Hunter then carried Spyro's unconscious body on his back, placed him back into his own bed, careful not to wake Sparx, and closed the door. "Hyperion, you bastard," He whispered to himself. "You will pay for this. I will force you back into your prison, along with your master!" A few seconds later, the lights eerily flickered on and off in the hallway, signaling that the Lord of Darkness was, as promised, watching his captive's every move.

With so many emotions building inside of him, Hunter walked away from Spyro's room and headed out the Temple's front door without a sound. For the first time in his life, he didn't want to be the cheetah warrior he was. He didn't want to be quick, he didn't want to be agile, and he didn't want to be cunning. He was right all along; his abilities were not only a give, but a curse. He hated himself as he left the Temple. With the ancient Earth relic safely in his hands, he solemnly walked back to the Enchanted Forest. Hunter then took one last glance back at the Temple, wondering if it would be his last.


End file.
